Life expectancy at birth — all countries

Life expectancy at birth — United Kingdom

Life expectancy at birth in the United Kingdom in 2024 — 81.4 years. Ranked 42 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 14.4%.

2024 81.4 years +0.18% vs 2023
World rank 42of 217
Period maximum 81.4 years2024
Period minimum 70.8 years1963

Trend over time

1960–2024 · years

Life expectancy at birth — United Kingdom, 1960–20247075808519601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 71.1 years1962: 70.9 years1964: 71.6 years1966: 71.6 years1968: 71.7 years1970: 72 years1972: 72.1 years1974: 72.5 years1976: 72.8 years1978: 73.2 years1980: 73.7 years1982: 74.2 years1984: 74.8 years1986: 74.9 years1988: 75.4 years1990: 75.9 years1992: 76.4 years1994: 76.9 years1996: 77.1 years1998: 77.2 years2000: 77.7 years2002: 78.1 years2004: 78.7 years2006: 79.2 years2008: 79.6 years2010: 80.4 years2012: 80.9 years2014: 81.3 years2016: 81.2 years2018: 81.3 years2020: 80.3 years2022: 81 years2024: 81.4 years
Change over the period: +10.3 (+14.42%) Average annual rate: 0.21 %

Comparison, 2024

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: United Kingdom

United Kingdom 81.4 years
World 73.5 years
Northern Europe computed 81.7 years
High-income countries computed 80.4 years
Life expectancy at birth — United Kingdom, by year United Kingdom All countries CSV XLSX
Year years Change Change, %
2024 81.4 +0.1 +0.18%
2023 81.2 +0.2 +0.28%
2022 81 +0.4 +0.45%
2021 80.6 +0.3 +0.39%
2020 80.3 −1 −1.27%
2019 81.4 +0.1 +0.14%
2018 81.3 +0 +0%
2017 81.3 +0.1 +0.12%
2016 81.2 +0.2 +0.25%
2015 81 −0.3 −0.43%
2014 81.3 +0.3 +0.37%
2013 81 +0.1 +0.12%
2012 80.9 −0 −0.06%
2011 81 +0.5 +0.68%
2010 80.4 +0.4 +0.44%
2009 80.1 +0.5 +0.57%
2008 79.6 +0.2 +0.19%
2007 79.4 +0.2 +0.25%
2006 79.2 +0.2 +0.25%
2005 79 +0.3 +0.38%
2004 78.7 +0.3 +0.38%
2003 78.4 +0.3 +0.39%
2002 78.1 +0.2 +0.19%
2001 78 +0.3 +0.32%
2000 77.7 +0.4 +0.45%
1999 77.4 +0.2 +0.26%
1998 77.2 −0 −0.03%
1997 77.2 +0.1 +0.16%
1996 77.1 +0.3 +0.33%
1995 76.8 −0 −0.06%
1994 76.9 +0.5 +0.65%
1993 76.4 −0 −0.06%
1992 76.4 +0.4 +0.46%
1991 76.1 +0.2 +0.27%
1990 75.9 +0.3 +0.39%
1989 75.6 +0.2 +0.27%
1988 75.4 +0.1 +0.13%
1987 75.3 +0.4 +0.47%
1986 74.9 +0.3 +0.4%
1985 74.6 −0.1 −0.2%
1984 74.8 +0.4 +0.54%
1983 74.4 +0.2 +0.27%
1982 74.2 +0.2 +0.2%
1981 74 +0.4 +0.48%
1980 73.7 +0.4 +0.55%
1979 73.3 +0.1 +0.14%
1978 73.2 −0 −0.07%
1977 73.2 +0.4 +0.62%
1976 72.8 +0.1 +0.07%
1975 72.7 +0.2 +0.28%
1974 72.5 +0.2 +0.28%
1973 72.3 +0.2 +0.28%
1972 72.1 −0.1 −0.21%
1971 72.3 +0.3 +0.42%
1970 72 +0.3 +0.35%
1969 71.7 −0 −0%
1968 71.7 −0.4 −0.55%
1967 72.1 +0.6 +0.77%
1966 71.6 −0.1 −0.07%
1965 71.6 +0 +0%
1964 71.6 +0.8 +1.13%
1963 70.8 −0.1 −0.14%
1962 70.9 +0 +0.07%
1961 70.9 −0.2 −0.35%
1960 71.1

About the indicator

Life expectancy at birth is the average number of years a newborn would live if age-specific mortality rates stayed the same as in the year of calculation. It is not a forecast for any individual but a summary measure of the current mortality regime: the indicator falls sharply in years of epidemics and wars and recovers just as fast.

Important: The indicator is highly sensitive to infant mortality: a decline there adds more years than an improvement in the health of the elderly.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.